GOTTINGEN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sartorius, a leading international partner of the biopharmaceutical
industry and the research sector, looks back on a successful first
quarter 2018.

"Both divisions started off the year strongly in line with our
expectations and further increased their revenues in the first quarter
of 2018 in all regions. On the currency side, however, we faced some
headwinds, especially due to the weakness of the U.S. dollar against the
euro, which dampened our profit growth. Order intake developed at an
encouragingly strong level for both divisions so we look optimistically
to the months ahead and confirm our full-year forecast," said CEO Dr.
Joachim Kreuzburg.

Business development of the Sartorius Group

In the first quarter of 2018, Sartorius increased its sales revenue by
11.4% (reported: 6.3%) in constant currencies to 364.9 million euros,
with acquisitions contributing around 4.5 percentage points to this
growth. Order intake for the same period rose 12.4%.

Regionally, Asia|Pacific recorded the strongest growth, with sales up
18.2% to 89.0 million euros. In the Americas, sales revenue also grew
significantly at a rate of 13.8% to 116.6 million euros. In the EMEA2
region, Sartorius generated revenue of 159.3 million euros, 6.3% more
than in the comparable year-earlier period. (All growth rates for the
regions and order intake in constant currencies.)

Despite unfavorable currency effects, underlying EBITDA increased by
4.7% compared against a strong prior-year base and reached 88.6 million
euros. The underlying EBITDA margin was diluted by around 0.5 percentage
points due to currency effects and reached 24.3% at the end of the first
quarter of 2018 relative to 24.7% for the first three months of 2017.
Relevant net profit3 for the Group grew by 8.0% from
34.4 million euros to 37.2 million euros. Earnings per ordinary share
totaled 0.54 euros (Q1 2017: 0.50 euros) and earnings per preference
share 0.55 euros (Q1 2017: 0.51 euros).

The Group's key financial indicators continued to remain at robust
levels. At the end of the reporting period, the company's equity ratio
was 35.4%, and its ratio of net debt to underlying EBITDA stood at 2.5
(Dec. 31, 2017: 35.1% and 2.5, resp.). The capex ratio in the first
three months of 2018 was 10.3%, as expected, due to the expansion of the
Group's worldwide infrastructure.

Business development of the divisions

The Bioprocess Solutions Division, which offers a wide array of
innovative technologies for the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals,
recorded first-quarter sales growth of 10.0% in constant currencies to
263.4 million euros (reported: +4.9%). Demand for single-use
technologies was especially strong in the reporting period.
Consolidation of Umetrics acquired in the previous year contributed
around 1.5 percentage points of non-organic growth in the first three
months of 2018. Order intake rose by 9.1% in constant currencies.

Underlying EBITDA of the Bioprocess Solutions Division rose somewhat
underproportionately relative to sales, by 2.9% to 70.3 million euros.
Impacted by currency effects, the Group's corresponding margin was 26.7%
relative to 27.2% in the previous period.

The Lab Products & Services Division, which offers products and
technologies for laboratories primarily in the pharma sector and in life
science research, recorded a significant gain in revenue, up 15.3% in
constant currencies (reported: +10.3%) to 101.4 million euros. The
acquisition of Essen BioScience contributed non-organic growth of around
11 percentage points. In order intake, the division saw strong growth of
22.7% in constant currencies.

Based on the company's performance in the first quarter of 2018,
management confirmed its sales and earnings forecast for the full year:
Group sales revenue is projected to increase by about 9% to 12% and its
underlying EBITDA margin by about 0.5 percentage points compared with
the year-earlier figure of 25.1%.

For the Bioprocess Solutions Division, management continues to expect
that sales will grow about 8% to 11%. This figure includes non-organic
growth of approximately 0.5 percentage points contributed to sales. The
division's underlying EBITDA margin is projected to increase from 28.0%
to around 28.5%.

Based on its unchanged forecast for the Lab Products & Services
Division, Sartorius also continues to anticipate that sales will expand
approximately 12% to 15%. This projection includes more than 2.5
percentage points of non-organic growth contributed by Essen BioScience
consolidated as of the end of March 2017. The division's underlying
EBITDA margin is expected to increase by around one percentage point to
more than 19.0%.

All forecasts are based on constant currencies. Due to the latest
foreign exchange developments, the results reported in actual currencies
may differ. We will explain the particular effects during the course of
2018.

3 After non-controlling interest, adjusted for extraordinary
items and non-cash amortization, as well as based on the normalized
financial result and corresponding tax effects.

This press release contains statements about the future development of
the Sartorius Group. The content of these statements cannot be
guaranteed as they are based on assumptions and estimates that harbor
certain risks and uncertainties. This is a translation of the original
German-language press release. Sartorius shall not assume any liability
for the correctness of this translation. The original German press
release is the legally binding version. Furthermore, Sartorius reserves
the right not to be responsible for the topicality, correctness,
completeness or quality of the information provided. Liability claims
regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided,
including any kind of information which is incomplete or incorrect, will
therefore be rejected.

Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO and Executive Board Chairman of Sartorius,
will discuss the company's results with analysts and investors on
Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at 3:30 p.m. Central European Time (CET) in a
teleconference. You may register by clicking on the following link:

July 24, 2018 Publication of the first-half figures (January to June
2018)

October 23, 2018 Publication of nine-month figures (January to September
2018)

A Profile of Sartorius

The Sartorius Group is a leading international pharmaceutical and
laboratory equipment provider with two divisions: Bioprocess Solutions
and Lab Products & Services. Bioprocess Solutions with its broad product
portfolio focusing on single-use solutions helps customers produce
biotech medications and vaccines safely and efficiently. Lab Products &
Services, with its premium laboratory instruments, consumables and
services, concentrates on serving the needs of laboratories performing
research and quality assurance at pharma and biopharma companies and on
those of academic research institutes. Founded in 1870, the company
earned sales revenue of more than 1.4 billion euros in 2017. More than
7,500 people work at the Group's approximately 50 manufacturing and
sales sites, serving customers around the globe.

Key Performance Indicators for the First Quarter of 2018

Sartorius Group

Bioprocess Solutions

Lab Products & Services

In millions of € (unless otherwise specified)

Q1 2018

Q12017

Δ in % Reported

Δ in % cc1

Q1 2018

Q12017

Δ in % Reported

Δ in % cc1

Q1 2018

Q12017

Δ in % Reported

Δ in % cc1

Sales Revenue and Order Intake

Sales revenue

364.9

343.1

6.3

11.4

263.4

251.1

4.9

10.0

101.4

92.0

10.3

15.3

- EMEA2

159.3

151.2

5.3

6.3

111.3

105.6

5.4

6.1

48.0

45.6

5.3

6.9

- Americas2

116.6

111.9

4.2

13.8

90.7

91.2

-0.5

8.8

25.9

20.8

24.9

35.3

- Asia | Pacific2

89.0

80.0

11.3

18.2

61.5

54.4

13.1

19.7

27.5

25.6

7.4

15.0

Order intake

404.8

376.9

7.4

12.4

295.1

283.5

4.1

9.1

109.6

93.4

17.3

22.7

Earnings

EBITDA3

88.6

84.6

4.7

70.3

68.4

2.9

18.3

16.3

12.6

EBITDA margin3 in %

24.3

24.7

26.7

27.2

18.0

17.7

Net profit for the period4

37.2

34.4

8.0

Financial Data per Share

Earnings per ordinary share4 in €

0.54

0.50

8.1

Earnings per preference share4 in €

0.55

0.51

8.0

1 In constant currencies abbreviated as "cc"

2 Acc. to the customer's location

3 Underlying

4 After non-controlling interest, adjusted for
extraordinary items and non-cash amortization, as well as based on
the normalized financial result and corresponding tax effects.